parking tips for st. cloud state huskies hockey vs. university of north dakota hockey at herb brooks national hockey center (st. cloud, mn 12/05)

hey everyone, figured i'd share some parking tips for the big scsu vs. und game on 12/05. this one is always a massive draw and the parking lots fill up faster than you can say "sioux suck" so you gotta have a plan or you'll be circling forever and miss the first period.

first up, the real insider move is the app called prked. honestly, i don't even bother with the on-campus chaos anymore. prked lets people who live right next to the hockey center rent out their driveways or garages for the night. it's way cheaper than the campus lots most of the time, and you skip all the main artery traffic because you're already parked in the residential area. short walk, zero stress, worth checking out.

for the official lots, your best option is often lot k, which is south of the building, but you need a pre-paid pass for that one . you can buy single-game passes in advance online or by calling the ticket office . if you show up without a pass, you're pretty much restricted to the husky pay lot, which is hourly paid parking on the east side near the practice rink . it's paid, but it's close.

the best cheap/free option for a weeknight game like this is to aim for the campus overflow lots. the university has a rule where non-permit holders can park for free in **c lot or v lot** after 4:30 pm on weekdays . since the game is thursday 12/05, this is a huge hack. check the campus map for the blue highlighted lots which are usually the best for event parking . these are a slightly longer walk, but saving twenty bucks is worth it.

if you strike out on campus, there's always the public city lots. the 12th street/3rd avenue metered t lot and the 9th street/4th avenue pay lot are the nearest options . also, look for neighborhood street parking, but be mindful of signs and don't block driveways. the area around "the herb" is mostly residential , so keep an eye out for any local restrictions.

timing-wise, you need to get there early. gates open one hour prior to puck drop . the general advice is to arrive earlier than you think you need to, especially when there's a big rival like und in town . after the game, be patient, the st. cloud police and scsu public safety have a specific plan for traffic egress and you can't rush it . it will be slow, so maybe grab a beer and wait out the worst of the traffic before you leave.

hope this helps and go huskies!</blockquote>